Explore the city that never sleeps

posted: March 17, 2004.

While there's plenty of work to be done at the convention, you'll have a few free moments when the RA is not in business. And for those whose travel arrangements allow, there's always Sunday for a bit of sight-seeing.

Enterprising educators can take advantage of what the Big Apple has to offer to enrich lessons back home - like English teacher-delegates who took pictures of what Tiffany's and the surrounding neighborhoods look like now to update kids who are reading Truman Capote's bittersweet novel.

Did you know that Edgar Allan Poe's last abode, where his cousin and child bride Virginia died of tuberculosis and where he wrote "Annabel Lee," is at 2460 Grand Concourse in the Bronx? For $3 you can tour the sparse green-and-white cottage. Call (718) 881-8900 for more info.

First stop

Visit the United Federation of Teachers hospitality table on the second-floor Promenade, where you'll find information on attractions, restaurants and transportation in Manhattan, as well as insider tips on good restaurants.

Within walking distance of the Hilton is Central Park, just north of the hotel. The park, which extends from 59th to 110th street, has 125 drinking fountains. Did you know that the park's lampposts also serve as a location guide? The first two digits of the number that you find on the post will tell you the nearest numbered street.

You can walk, jog, ride a carriage or even ride a horse. The Claremont Stables, (212) 724-5100) provides palominos or Appaloosas for $50 an hour. If that's too expensive, try the Calliope, in the middle part of the park near 64th Street, where for less than $1 you can ride a hand-carved antique horse to the sounds of a Wurlitzer.

Just a few blocks south of the hotel is Rockefeller Center, where the famous Today show broadcasts from 7 to 10 a.m. Even further south are Times Square, Penn Station and Herald Square. Some of the best restaurants and shopping are all within blocks.

Museum mile

Nine museums and cultural centers are along Fifth Avenue, running the length of Manhattan.

Echoing images: Couples in African Sculpture and an exhibit on Italian mythological prints are some of the exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Ave. Suggested donation is $12 for adults, and $7 for students and seniors.

Butterfly fans, don't forget to stop at the American Museum of Natural History's Butterfly Conservatory. The exhibit features more than 500 live butterflies in an enclosed habitat. If you'd like to be part of an exhibit, check out the museum's Exploratorium, featuring 35 interactive exhibits. The AMNH is located at Central Park and W. 79th Street, and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. For ticket info, visit www.amnh.org.

Timeoutny.com offers information on cheap food, insider tips on shopping and everything else you need to know to live like a New Yorker - at least for the RA. You also might want to check out www.villagevoice.com/issues/0353/manual.php for the annual manual on New York City.

For your info

The following information tables will be staffed on Thursday from noon to 7:30 p.m. in Americas Hall I: AFT Black Caucus, New York Chapter; Gay & Lesbian Caucus; Health Care Council; Jewish Heritage Committee of the UFT; Labor Religion Coalition; NYSUT Alliance for Small Locals; NYSUT Civil & Human Rights Committee; Professional Staff Congress/CUNY; UFT Hospitality; UFT Membership; UFT Committee for Members who are Capably Disabled; Unity Caucus; and United University Professions.